Did you know the average person spends four hours a day on their phones? Our phones are increasingly becoming our primary source of information and our primary digital device. If you want to grow your business then you need to consider mobile marketing.
And the number one way to do that is through Google My Business. As much as 80% of all searches on phones include “near me” in the search. So if you want to start ranking for local searches, then you need to have your local information listed with Google.
Why You Need an Optimized Google My Business Listing
When was the last time you found yourself across town for a meeting and needed to grab a quick lunch? What did you do? More than likely you pulled out your phone and asked for a local deli near you.
What did you see? You saw a listing with an address and phone number, probably a few pictures of their food options. And maybe there were even a few reviews from happy customers. So, you called them up and ordered a sandwich and asked for directions on how to get there so you could quickly get your lunch and continue your day.
So, if you’re a small business owner who wants to start ranking on Google and driving more customers, then keep reading to learn the seven ways you can optimize your GMB listing to drive more customers and increase sales.
1. Go Beyond the NAP
What is the NAP? This is probably what your current GMB profile looks like: Name, Address, Phone number. But you can go much further and do much better with your profile.
When you create your profile, be sure to include your website, choose a category, and write a catchy description with all the right keywords for your business. You have up to 750 characters in the description, so use them wisely. The first sentence is the most important, so don’t keyword stuff. Be sure to write to your customer and include one good search term that is used often.
Remember, Google gives you many different areas to tell potential customers about your business. Don’t shortchange yourself by only entering the minimum information.
2. Upload Photos to your GMB profile
The old saying is true: You can say more with a picture than a thousand words. And your customers don’t have time to read a thousand words about why they should visit your business. So, instead, upload amazing photos that will entice potential customers to call you for their specific needs.
There are several ideas you can include in your photos, such as taking some great pictures of your menu items or including photos of happy customers. But you need to be sure you include quality pictures in your profile to catch your potential customer’s attention.
Just as in social media, your goal here is to stop them from scrolling and get them to click through, so take your time and include quality images. And just as with social media, frequent uploads of quality images will boost your ranking, so continue to post images regularly.
3. Keep Your Information up to Date
It is imperative to keep your information up to date, especially right now. From your hours of operation to your delivery options, make sure your information is correct. Nothing will give poor customer service more than someone driving all the way across town to try your dim sum only to find out your hours have changed and you’re closed.
If you’re a restaurant you can include whether or not you offer delivery or takeout right now. And if you’re in the service industry you can include payment methods or alternative languages spoken if you offer that. There are hundreds of attributes to choose from, so use these to your advantage.
With everything changing as rapidly as it is these days, having your information up to date will build great rapport with your customers. When they can trust the information they see on your profile you will increase your engagement and thus increase your business thanks to your updated and optimized Google My Business profile.
4. Enable the Messaging Feature
Many people hate to talk on the phone. So, having a messaging option can open you up to a new demographic of customers. Of course, this means you need to be able to watch your phone for messages, but it can be a great way to find new customers.
Don’t worry; you don’t have to give out your private cell phone number. You can set up a business phone number through Google for free and then have those messages sent to your personal phone. This feature is vital if you market to millennials in particular.
5. Ask for Reviews
People want to know what others thought about your business before they try it. So having lots of reviews is key to having an optimized GMB listing. Ask your customers to leave a review and offer an incentive such as a discount the next time they visit.
Not only do customers look for reviews, but Google does as well. They know that many reviews are good for business and will rank those businesses with more reviews higher. So be sure to ask for reviews from customers and watch your rankings improve.
Additionally, you need to respond to every review, even the negative ones. When other customers see you responding to everybody they will feel better knowing you will be there to hear their concerns should they have any. And when you respond kindly and informative to the negative reviews, others will see that and appreciate that you’re there to help your customers.
6. Post Every Week
Did you know you can add short text posts to your GMB profile? They only last for one week, so you need to make it a habit to post every week so you can keep your profile fresh. But this is a great way to keep your customers informed about events happening at your store or the next big sale coming up.
There are five different types of posts you can choose from each time you post. You can show what’s new, highlight different products, showcase future events, and inform customers of special offers you’re currently running.
Just as with your blog posts, regular postings give Google signals that you’re active and they will improve your ranking accordingly. However, unlike long-form content on your website, your GMB posts only need to be between 200-300 words.
Additionally, you have the option to include a call to action in each blog post. This is a great feature to build engagement and grow your business. So, don’t forget to add in an appropriate CTA button and be sure to post every week.
7. Nail Your Metrics With a Solid Strategy
Just as in any other marketing arena you need to have a strategy when it comes to optimizing your Google My Business profile. If you’re unsure how to create a strategy or how to complete the tasks above, then consider working with a professional digital marketer or agency.
You can’t leave this to chance, so be sure you optimize Google My Business today. When you have someone in your corner it will help you rest easy knowing that you can start to improve your rankings and grow your customer list organically.
Here at Red Box, we work with business owners like you every day to improve their rankings naturally and scale their business to the next level. So, if you would rather get a root canal then work on your off-page SEO, choose to outsource this important part of your marketing plan now.
You can’t afford to ignore SEO, so if you don’t have the time to do it yourself, be sure to outsource it. We are here to help you when you have questions about nailing your strategy today.
Grow Your Reach Organically Today
Your off-site SEO is vital to growing your reach organically online. And one key way to do this is to optimize your Google My Business profile. So, don’t put this off any longer.
By taking the time now to optimize your GMB listing you will improve your ranking on your website as well. So if you want to increase your page views organically than search engine optimization needs to be a priority for your business.
We are here to help with Google My Business profiles and all your search engine optimization needs. If you’re ready to scale your business and grow your customer reach then reach out to us today.